Pensions Bill

My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Oakeshott. Many statutes are simply lifted from previous statutes and made according to the Victorian parliamentary draftsman’s handbook, which has not been updated to move with the times. The term ““gratuity”” is extremely old-fashioned. I would have been quite happy to concede previously that it has been used in other legislation. I am grateful to the Minister for considering the points that I made in Committee and responding on the pensions issue, which is extremely helpful. I simply suggest that some day someone must get parliamentary draftsmen to use modern language in today’s Bills when drafting corporate structures, which have moved on quite considerably from those that parliamentary draftsmen used to create even 10 or 15 years ago. I will not pursue that point today, but the Minister might like to do so. I am grateful to him for tabling the amendment. On Question, amendment agreed to. [Amendment No. 21 not moved.]